


we only see each other at weddings

by ariya167, gaypunkspaceunicorn



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst and Humor, Dysfunctional Family, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Pre-Canon, Rated T for language, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-04 16:03:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17901215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariya167/pseuds/ariya167, https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaypunkspaceunicorn/pseuds/gaypunkspaceunicorn
Summary: “You don’t have to invite them if you don’t want to,” he said. “I know they’re your family-”“But it’s my wedding,” she finished, turning to face him. He’d said the same thing a few times before, trying to make sure she knew what she was doing. “I know. I know I haven’t seen them in years, but we’re getting married. They should be there.”





	1. Chapter 1

The letter was waiting for Diego when he got back to his apartment. It had been a long day, hard as hell, and he could sense his time at the police station was coming to an end, even if he didn’t like to think about it But here was a letter, that wasn’t a bill needing to be paid, and that made him smile a little.

\----

Vanya had spent the day practicing, as there was a concert coming up. Her fingers were raw after she fingered out difficult runs that she just couldn’t get right. But she knew she would, knew she had to. So, she kept playing on and on, creaks and squeaks of the instrument filling her apartment with alarming frequency as the sky darkened and Vanya tired. But just as she dropped the violin from her chin, a letter popped through the mail slot and hit the floor. 

\----

He awoke at five am, sharp, quickly, and without a moment’s hesitation. He had work to do. Luther dressed, and went downstairs in search of food. Sir Reginald was nowhere to be found, but of course he’d be in his study, working hard on missions and saving the world. All that was downstairs was the mail; a few bills and one crisp, plain, envelope. 

\----

The fucking sun was too fucking bright, Klaus decided. It was the top of the list on things he currently hated about this morning, though the fact that Leon, one of rehab’s service workers, was trying to shake him awake was a close second.

“Mail for you,” he said, and dropped an envelope on his bed. 

\----

Diego tore open the envelope. Inside was a thick cream card, with beautiful lettering. He knew what it was before he even quickly scanned it. Allison was getting married. He smiled. She was the only Hargreeves sibling who even marginally had their life in order. 

\----

The letter was expected; Vanya had heard about the engagement reading tabloids in line at the grocery store, but there was one extra line that brought tension into her arms. Allison wanted her to play at her wedding. Like, play her violin, in front of her family. Sure, Vanya was in an orchestra, but it’s not like she was looking out into the crowd and seeing the Hargreeves siblings in the front row, ready to support her. 

\----

“Luther? I didn’t realise you were up.” His mom walked into the kitchen, her hair and face made-up as per usual. “What are you reading?”

“Uh, did you know Allison was engaged? It’s an invitation to her wedding.” He passed the card to her.

“Oh yes, of course. Delightful. It will be wonderful.” 

\----

Klaus could barely get through the letter, his head was pounding that fucking much. And it didn’t help that Leon was obsessed with sunshine, and opening every goddamn window in the entire building. But he got the gist, and he sure as hell got the second piece of paper in the envelope, with scrawled instructions to not show up high, to not cause a scene, to basically be a good little boy. 

\----

Allison sighed, staring at the mailbox her wedding invitations had just disappeared into. Behind her, Patrick put a hand on her shoulder.

“You don’t have to invite them if you don’t want to,” he said. “I know they’re your family-”

“But it’s my wedding,” she finished, turning to face him. He’d said the same thing a few times before, trying to make sure she knew what she was doing. “I know. I know I haven’t seen them in years, but we’re getting married. They should be there.”

“Long as you’re sure,” Patrick said, squeezing her hand. “Nothing’s going to ruin this day, I promise you.”


	2. Chapter 2

Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as she’d thought, Vanya considered, flipping through the sheet music in front of her. Allison had always been somewhat kind to her when they were children, if somewhat distant, but she’d seemed happy to see her. And she’d had a few suggestions of songs for her to play. 

So even if her brothers ignored her, as they likely would, she didn’t think the wedding would be entirely a disaster. Vanya picked up her violin and started playing. Allison had booked them all rooms at the hotel, and she had already taken three baths. But now it was time to work. And the more time she spent in her hotel room, the less time she had to spend with her brothers. 

\----

It was raining in LA. That was at least an upside to the day. Klaus shook the water off himself and stepped into the hotel. It wasn’t the Ritz, but it was about the fanciest building he had been in in years. Well, if you didn’t count the police station. Nice facade. 

“Klaus! You made it!” Allison spotted him from across the lobby and bounded across to him. 

“Uh, yeah. Really nice digs you got here.” Klaus said, gesturing vaguely to the shiny lobby around them, filled with glittering chandeliers and smooth white floors. “Very, uh, clean.” 

\----

“Hey, guys.” Diego stepped up to Allison and Klaus. He was soaked, he didn’t really believe in umbrellas. Just another hunk of plastic. 

“Diego!” Allison exclaimed, and threw her arms around him. Klaus stuck his hands in the pockets of his heavy black coat and looked around. Shifty eyes, distant. Not much had changed since they were kids. He wondered if he was high. 

\----

Luther had arrived much earlier in the day, and was sitting still and silently in his room, his suitcase already unpacked. It was boring just sitting there, but he didn’t want to see any of his siblings. They had all abandoned him, and their parents, and their important work, preferring to quickly screw up their lives. 

Of course he missed them, but they were the ones that left. Luther didn’t want to see, or talk to any of them, as much as possible. 

\----

After a few hours, Vanya ventured out of her room. Her fingers were raw and she was starving. Down in the foyer, Klaus, Diego, and Allison, were sitting silently at the bar. Klaus had a drink in his hand, and the other two were picking at a bowl of peanuts.

“Hi, guys,” Vanya said a little apprehensively, sitting down next to Diego. “Um, how’ve you guys been?”

Her question was met with a muttered fine from Diego, a tentative good from Allison, and Klaus jumping up from his seat, a wild grin on his face.  
“Well, I’ve been fucking fantastic!” he shouted, “Just got out of rehab! And now I’m with my family, who I dearly love in the city of angels!” Klaus took a swig from his glass and plopped back down, clearly content with his outburst. 

\----

Diego couldn’t believe Klaus. You’d think he could have kept it together even a little better, but no, he always had to be the center of attention. He did when they were kids, and he hadn’t changed in this slightest. Unlike Diego, who had a real job, no matter how tenuous, and a girlfriend, no matter how on and off. Diego was making the world a better place, while Vanya was being an anxious pushover, and Klaus an obnoxious drunk. Allison was lying to get ahead, and Luther, where even was he?

\----

Klaus collapsed back into the chair with a grin on his face. He could sense everyone’s annoyance.Allison sighed, stood up, and walked away. Diego was bristling, but Vanya just looked down and chewed on a peanut. 

“Jesus Christ, Klaus. You’re already drunk.” Diego said. 

He shook his head. “No, I’m not! And you all are all so fucking awkward, I was just trying to break the ice a little! And I’m not the only fuckup in this family! I bet you anything, Luther is just sitting alone in his hotel room, waiting for a message from his daddy so he can run off and pretend he’s saving the world!”

“He’s your dad too, Klaus.” Vanya said quietly. 

\----

There was a knock on the door, and Luther quickly rose, his hands raised in fists. 

“Who is it?” he asked.

“Allison. We’re all down at the bar. You should come down.” He didn’t say anything, and he heard her footsteps as she walked away. 

Luther sat back down on the bed. 

\----

God, Allison wanted a drink. She laughed at that a little - five minutes with her family and she was turning into Klaus - but quickly descended back into her bad mood. 

Sure, she knew the Hargreeves family - herself included-were severely messed up, but couldn’t they hold it together for one day? She’d settle for an hour. Thirty minutes, even. 

Vanya at least seemed to be trying to make an effort, which she appreciated, but Klaus couldn’t help making a scene, Diego was as taciturn as usual, and Luther hadn’t even left his room.


	3. Chapter 3

Vanya didn’t want to go to sleep. She had to keep working. Keep playing. She just had to be amazing, and then maybe her siblings would see her as someone special, not someone completely ordinary. 

It was late, and she could barely see her sheet music in the dark, but she couldn’t stop now. She had to prove herself. 

\----

Diego didn’t want to go to sleep. Sleep meant nightmares; of Ben dying, of Five disappearing, of Patch dying. Sleep meant waking up one day closer to being fired with nowhere to go. So, he paced his room, throwing his knives around until the walls and floor were full of miniscule holes.

\----

Luther didn’t want to go to sleep. He had to be strong and alert, in case something happened. In case Reginald needed to get in touch with him. And he wouldn’t even let it cross his mind that maybe Reginald didn’t need him. 

\----

Allison didn’t want to go to sleep. There was just so much preparation to do, and that was without worrying about her siblings. 

“Come to bed, okay?” Patrick asked her. He was reading a magazine in their bed, and she was staring out the window across a dark parking lot. “We have a lot to do tomorrow.”

“Sorry, I’m just nervous. You know how my siblings are.” 

He nodded. “On the way up here, I saw Klaus having a heated argument with a wall.” 

“Luther hasn’t even come out of his room yet.” Allison smiled. She was feeling better just talking to Patrick. God, she loved him. 

\----

Klaus didn’t want to go to sleep. After Ben showed up in the hallway, he knew closing his eyes would lead to nightmares and ghosts. So, Klaus paced throughout the room, rubbing his eyes.

“Dude, what are you doing?” Ben asked, appearing in the chair by the door. 

“Fuck!” Klaus jumped. “Stop sneaking up on me like that!” Ben held up his hands in mock defense, rolling his eyes.

“I think I’m gonna take a walk.” Klaus said. What he really wanted to do was go get high, but he couldn’t tell Ben that.

“I’ll come with you!” he said cheerfully, jumping out of the chair and walking to the door. 

So, with Ben at his side like an annoying puppy, Klaus wandered around the empty hotel and found himself in one of the hotel’s laundry rooms. Small, but completely empty this time of night.

\----

Vanya rubbed at her eyes with the back of her hand, squinting in the low light. She didn’t want to stop practicing, but her fingers hurt, she could barely see, and she kept messing up her runs. Maybe it was time to take a break. 

She set her violin and her music aside, falling back onto the hotel bed. But, tossing and turning, she couldn’t find sleep. So, Vanya got up, and wandered aimlessly through the dark hotel. As she turned the corner on the fifth floor, she saw a glimpse of Klaus beyond a set of doors labeled Laundry.

“Couldn’t sleep?” she asked, walking into the room. Klaus looked terrible, his eyes red and his skin pale. Though, she probably didn’t look much better.

He shook his head. “Nice pajamas.” Vanya looked down to see her flannel sushi pajamas.

“I was cold.” Klaus laughed, smiling. 

“I can’t believe Allison is getting married.” Klaus said, leaning against a washing machine. “And the rest of us are, no offense, fucked-up losers.” 

Vanya grimaced. He was right, but jeez. 

\----

Lying in bed, Allison heard Patrick start to snore. Waiting a few moments, she carefully got up and left the room. If you couldn’t sleep, it was important to clear your head. 

Walking through the halls, she heard Klaus talking at the end of the corridor. Allison wasn’t going to go over; she didn’t want to get between him and whatever wall he was arguing with, but then she heard Vanya talking as well.

“What are you guys doing here?” she asked, blinking in the harsh fluorescents. 

“Couldn’t sleep.” Vanya answered, just as Klaus said “discussing our plans for world domination”. 

\----

Luther jumped awake. He was still sitting on the bed, but must have dozed off. Shit. He leapt out of bed, and smoothed out his clothes. He needed coffee. Luther walked out of his room in search of caffeine when he heard muffled talking from the other side of the hallway. 

This could be something, he thought, as he stealthily moved to peer inside. But all he found was Klaus, Vanya, and Allison standing around surrounded by washing machines.

“Hey, big guy!” Klaus shouted. Luther offered a weak smile in return. 

“Are you okay?” Vanya asked.

“Yeah, Luther, you’ve been in your room all day.” Allison added.

“I need to be ready if Dad sends a message.” he said, proper and conserved. The others looked skeptical. 

“He’s not going to. Just chill out.” Klaus said. 

\----

Being stuck in the hotel room wasn’t helping Diego. So, he walked out into the hallway, and rode the elevators up and down for ten minutes. That always made him feel better as a kid. But now that he was older, it made him dizzy and he stumbled out on the fifth floor to catch his breath. 

He could see a light on in the distance, and he walked towards it to hear Klaus, Vanya, and Allison mocking Luther for being so obsessed with their dad. The perfect kind of conversation for Diego.

“Hey, guys. I hear Luther is a man-baby? Exciting!” 

“Wow. And the award for the rudest Hargreeve goes to Diego! Upsetting Klaus’s thirty-year reign!” Klaus exclaimed, laughing. Diego looked down at his shoes.

“Sorry. I’m just on edge.” 

Luther sighed. “I-maybe you’re right, Diego. I don’t need to be at Dad’s beck and call 24/7.”

Diego blinked. That was surprising-normally Luther never passed up an opportunity to defend Reginald Hargreeves. 

“What?” Klaus said loudly. Diego thought he was talking to Luther, until he muttered, “Fine, long as gets you off my back.” He paused. “Uh, good for you, big guy.”

“I’m so happy you’re all here. I thought it would be a disaster, but it’s been really nice.” Allison said. 

“Gee, thanks,” Diego said dryly, though Vanya was nodding.

“Yeah-yeah, it’s been nice,” she said, smiling shyly at Allison. “Thanks for inviting me.”

They all smiled and starting talking about the wedding, actually feeling at peace with their siblings for the first time in many years.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to everyone for reading, and for your kudos and comments! They are immensely appreciated.


End file.
